How to use the pivot point calculator

  1. Pick a method. Classic is the usual starting point. Fibonacci, Woodie and Camarilla draw the levels differently, and a section below explains how.
  2. Enter the previous period's high, low and close. For intraday trading use yesterday's numbers. For swing trading use last week's. Take them from the same chart you trade on.
  3. Add the current price if you want to know which zone it is in and which levels sit above and below it. The field is optional.
  4. Read the result. The pivot comes first. The table lists every level from the highest to the lowest with its distance from the pivot in price and in percent. The ladder draws them to scale, and the column chart compares how far each one is from the pivot.

The inputs stay in the address bar, so you can copy the link to your exact calculation into a chat or a journal note.

The pivot point formulas

All four methods start from three numbers: the high H, the low L and the close C of the previous period. The range is H − L. PP is the pivot, R1 to R4 are resistance levels above it and S1 to S4 are support levels below it.

Classic (floor)
PP = (H + L + C) / 3
R1 = 2 × PP - L            S1 = 2 × PP - H
R2 = PP + (H - L)          S2 = PP - (H - L)
R3 = H + 2 × (PP - L)      S3 = L - 2 × (H - PP)

Fibonacci
PP = (H + L + C) / 3
R1 = PP + 0.382 × (H - L)  S1 = PP - 0.382 × (H - L)
R2 = PP + 0.618 × (H - L)  S2 = PP - 0.618 × (H - L)
R3 = PP + 1.000 × (H - L)  S3 = PP - 1.000 × (H - L)

Woodie
PP = (H + L + 2 × C) / 4
R1 = 2 × PP - L            S1 = 2 × PP - H
R2 = PP + (H - L)          S2 = PP - (H - L)

Camarilla
R1 = C + 1.1 × (H - L) / 12    S1 = C - 1.1 × (H - L) / 12
R2 = C + 1.1 × (H - L) / 6     S2 = C - 1.1 × (H - L) / 6
R3 = C + 1.1 × (H - L) / 4     S3 = C - 1.1 × (H - L) / 4
R4 = C + 1.1 × (H - L) / 2     S4 = C - 1.1 × (H - L) / 2

The classic pivot is the plain average of the three prices. R1 and S1 reflect the previous low and high through the pivot, and the outer levels step out by the size of the range. Camarilla levels are built around the close instead of the pivot, so the calculator also shows the plain average of H, L and C as the pivot for that method.

Worked example

A currency pair had a high of 1.0950, a low of 1.0850 and a close of 1.0900 yesterday. Using the classic method, with the current price at 1.0930, which is what the calculator opens with:

Level Calculation Price From pivot
Range 1.0950 − 1.0850 0.0100
Pivot (1.0950 + 1.0850 + 1.0900) ÷ 3 1.0900
R1 2 × 1.0900 − 1.0850 1.0950 +0.46%
S1 2 × 1.0900 − 1.0950 1.0850 −0.46%
R2 1.0900 + 0.0100 1.1000 +0.92%
S2 1.0900 − 0.0100 1.0800 −0.92%
R3 1.0950 + 2 × (1.0900 − 1.0850) 1.1050 +1.38%
S3 1.0850 − 2 × (1.0950 − 1.0900) 1.0750 −1.38%

The current price of 1.0930 sits between the pivot and R1. R1 is 0.0020 away (0.18%) and the pivot is 0.0030 away (0.27%), so R1 is the nearer level. The price is 0.28% above the pivot, which traders who use the pivot as a bias line would read as a firmer tone for the session. It is a convention, not a signal.

How traders use pivot points

Pivot points are a ready-made set of reference prices that are fixed before the session opens. Traders use them in a few ways:

  • As support and resistance. R1 and S1 are the first places many traders watch for a pause or a turn, and R2, S2 and beyond mark stretched moves. Nothing forces a price to react. The levels are only places where traders expect to look.
  • As a bias line. A price above the pivot is read as a stronger tone for the period and a price below it as a weaker one. This is a rule of thumb, and it fails often.
  • As targets and stops. A long from near the pivot can use R1 as a first target. A stop can sit beyond the level that would show the idea is wrong. Put the entry, stop and target into the risk reward ratio calculator to see whether the trade pays enough for the risk, then size it with the position size calculator. A level that is 0.18% away may not be worth trading after spread and costs.
  • To fade or to follow. Some traders bet that a level will hold and price will turn. Others wait for a close through a level and trade the move onward. Camarilla users are commonly described as fading the third level and following a break of the fourth.

One reason often given for why the levels matter is that many traders watch the same numbers. That is an argument about behaviour, not proof that the levels work. If you want to know whether they help your trading, tag your pivot trades in your journal and look at the results after a few dozen of them.

Daily, weekly and monthly pivots

The period you take the high, low and close from sets the scale of the levels.

  • Daily pivots use the previous day. They suit intraday trading, and the levels are recalculated every session.
  • Weekly pivots use the previous week. They are further apart and stay fixed for the whole week, so they suit swing trades held for days.
  • Monthly pivots use the previous month and suit position traders.

Longer-period levels are usually given more weight, because more trading sits behind them. When a daily level falls close to a weekly one, traders call that confluence and treat the zone as more important. Compare the two by running the calculator once with yesterday's numbers and once with last week's.

For markets that trade around the clock, such as forex, crypto and index futures, "the previous day" depends on where your platform cuts the day. Use the high, low and close of the daily candle on the chart you trade, so the levels match what you see. A different cut-off gives different levels.

Classic, Fibonacci, Woodie or Camarilla: how the methods differ

The same range gives different ladders. Here they are for the example above, whose close sits at the middle of the range:

Method Pivot R1 S1 Outermost resistance
Classic 1.0900 1.0950 1.0850 R3 1.1050
Fibonacci 1.0900 1.0938 1.0862 R3 1.1000
Woodie 1.0900 1.0950 1.0850 R2 1.1000
Camarilla 1.0900 1.0909 1.0891 R4 1.0955
  • Classic gives the widest ladder. In the example its third level sits 1.5 ranges from the pivot.
  • Fibonacci keeps the classic pivot and spaces the levels at 38.2%, 61.8% and 100% of the range. The inner levels sit closer to the pivot than in the classic method. Do not confuse it with Fibonacci retracement, which is drawn from a swing high and low: for that use the Fibonacci retracement calculator.
  • Woodie counts the close twice, so the pivot moves toward where the period ended. With a close of 1.0930 in the example, the classic pivot would be 1.0910 and the Woodie pivot 1.0915. Some platforms use the open of the new session in place of the previous close, so check which one yours uses.
  • Camarilla packs four levels each side tightly around the close. They are meant for the busy middle of the range, and the outer levels are where its users watch for a breakout.

Platforms also differ in the extras. Some add a fourth or fifth classic level, and some compute the classic third level as the pivot plus two ranges, which gives other prices than the formula above. Compare a level on the calculator with your own chart before you trade from it. No method is correct in itself, and the useful question is which one your market respects often enough to help you. You can test that by backtesting it on past days.

Common pivot point mistakes

  • Using the wrong period. The levels come from the previous period. Today's high and low are still moving and do not belong in the formula.
  • Mixing day definitions. A close taken at a different cut-off from your chart gives levels that do not match it.
  • Treating a level as a guarantee. A price can slice through a level, stop short of it or ignore it. Leave room beyond a level for your stop.
  • Trading every touch. Eight levels on the chart are eight excuses to trade. Wait for a level that lines up with something else, such as a weekly level or a prior high.
  • Ignoring the distance. After a narrow day the levels are close together and the costs of a trade may take most of the move. The percentage column shows the gap.
  • Comparing levels across platforms without checking the method. Two charts that say "pivot points" may be using different formulas.

What the calculator does not know

The calculator applies the formulas to the numbers you type. It does not know where your platform starts the trading day, which variant it uses for Woodie or for the outer levels, or whether a thin market or a news release will make the levels irrelevant. It cannot tell you whether a level will hold. Pivot points are a convention that many traders watch, and they carry no guarantee. Treat the levels as reference points for planning and not as trade signals. Nothing here is investment advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is a pivot point in trading?

A pivot point is a reference price worked out from the previous period's high, low and close. It is the central level of a set of support and resistance levels, drawn above and below it, that traders use to plan entries, stops and targets. The most common version is the plain average of the three prices.

How do you calculate pivot points?

Add the previous high, low and close and divide by three to get the pivot. Then calculate the support and resistance levels from it, for example R1 = 2 × pivot − low and S1 = 2 × pivot − high. With a high of 1.0950, a low of 1.0850 and a close of 1.0900 the pivot is 1.0900, R1 is 1.0950 and S1 is 1.0850.

What do R1, R2, R3 and S1, S2, S3 mean?

R1, R2 and R3 are resistance levels above the pivot, numbered outward, and S1, S2 and S3 are support levels below it. R1 and S1 are the nearest, and the higher numbers mark wider moves. Camarilla adds a fourth level on each side.

What is the difference between classic, Fibonacci, Woodie and Camarilla pivot points?

They differ in the pivot and in how the levels are spread. Classic uses the average of high, low and close and steps out by the range. Fibonacci scales the steps by 38.2%, 61.8% and 100% of the range. Woodie gives the close double weight. Camarilla builds four tight levels around the close.

Which pivot point method is best?

None is best in general. The classic method is the most widely used, which is the main thing in its favour. Choose the method your market's traders watch and your chart platform shows, then check on your own trades whether its levels help.

Do pivot points work?

They work as reference points, because many traders watch them, but a level carries no guarantee that price will stop or reverse there. The way to find out is to record your trades at the levels and compare the results with trades taken elsewhere, over enough trades for the difference to mean something.

Should I use daily or weekly pivot points?

Use the period that matches how long you hold trades. Daily pivots suit intraday trading and weekly pivots suit trades held for several days. Many traders look at both and give extra weight to a level where the two meet.

Which high, low and close do I use for forex or crypto?

Use the high, low and close of the previous daily candle on your chart, since these markets trade around the clock and the day is set by the platform. Weekly levels use the previous weekly candle in the same way. Take all three from one source so they agree.

How do I trade with pivot points?

Use them to plan a trade before you enter it. Pick the nearest level as a target, place a stop beyond the level that would prove you wrong, check the reward to risk, and size the position from the stop. Whether a level holds is uncertain, so treat each trade as one that can lose.